The Grandparent Scam – How to Protect Yourself 

The Grandparent Scam begins with a phone call to a Senior. When the Senior answers, the caller says, “Grandma/Grandpa, do you know who this is? The Senior says yes, this is “grandchild’s name.” The caller now has a name to use to develop a more personal connection. The caller then claims they are in trouble, or there is an emergency, and they need money right away. These calls often come at night with the caller pretending to be in great trouble in a foreign country.   Sometimes they will put someone else on the phone to portray a police officer, bail bondsman, or lawyer to show the urgency and legitimacy. The Senior then withdraws money from their bank and transfers it to their “grandchild’s” account. It is imperative that you evaluate the situation before you decide to help.  

The Grandparent Scam has been around for quite a few years with the first report in 2008.  Thanks to the Internet and social networking sites, scam artists have become more sophisticated.  Scam artists are now able to uncover more personal information about you and your family and use that information to make their impersonation more believable. For example, the actual grandson may be a private chef in California who is catering a famous star’s birthday celebration.  When contacting the grandparents, the fake grandson will reference the famous star he catered for.    

Cases of victimized Seniors are on the rise.  According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Canadians had $1.7 million in losses in 2021.  In 2022 that number more than doubled to $4.2 million.  As scam artists become more sophisticated, these numbers will continue to rise.  You should spread the word about these scams to your friends and family.  There are some tips below on how to protect yourself and your family from the Grandparent Scam. 

How to Protect Yourself 

• Never offer information. If you receive a phone call asking for information, simply say, “I don’t know, you tell me.”   
• Ask the caller questions that only your grandchild would know the answer to. 
• Ask for details and ask the caller to repeat the story, checking for inconsistencies. 
• When the call has ended call the parents or your grandchild to verify the story. 
• Never wire money to anyone as it is nearly impossible to trace. 

• Never provide your credit card number over the phone or on the web unless you are sure of its validity. 

Sometimes the caller requests cash and asks you to mail it or tells you someone will pick it up at your residence.  Under no circumstances should you ever give out your address or agree to have someone come to your place of residency.   

If you or someone you love has fallen victim to the Grandparent scam, please contact your local police department.  You can also report it to Canadian Ant-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm